HP executive talks PC business spinoff, TouchPad revival

HP still hasn't come to a decision regarding the future of its Personal Systems Group (PSG) unit but at least one executive is voicing what he believes will be of best value to shareholders, customers and employees.

In an interview with Reuters, PSG head Todd Bradley claims that HP would be better off spinning off its PC business rather than selling it, but the company is still figuring out the full implications of separating the PC business from HP.

If HP does in fact spin off the PSG business, the resulting company will retain its position as the world's largest PC manufacturer and Bradley says he would like to lead HP through this transition. He also cited Acer reporting its first-ever quarterly loss last week as he argued that selling the PC division to a rival is not a desired alternative.

Interestingly, Bradley said the company could resurrect HP's short-lived TouchPad tablet computer, which was introduced on July 1 before being killed off only about six weeks later. According to the executive this is a segment of the market that's very relevant today. That said, the future of webOS is also uncertain at this point. The company has said it will continue to support it, and is looking for licensing partners, but a buyout could also be in the cards.

The interview took place as Bradley toured China, visiting HP suppliers and retail partners to reassure them that the company is committed to doing business in that market despite the changes ahead for its PC-making unit.

HP's board is scheduled to meet in December to decide the future of its PC business, but regardless if they decide to sell the unit or spin off into a separate company, the whole ordeal could still take another 12 to 18 months.